This invention is related to diesel engines having an intake air heater and a primer injection system for a priming fluid, such as ether for example, to assist in starting the engine in cold weather, and more particularly to a device for controlling the energization of the heater and the primer injection system depending upon the pressure of the lubricating oil system and the temperature of the coolant, in such a manner as to prevent intake manifold fire or explosion and to eliminate white smoke at the exhaust of the engine.
Diesel engines, and more particularly large diesel engines such as those used in trucks and buses, are difficult to start in cold weather. They also run very poorly until fully warmed-up. During warm-up, they display poor driveability and high emissions due to incomplete combustion. In particular, white smoke is frequently produced at the exhaust and is undesirable from a functional as well as an aesthetic viewpoint.
The cold starting problems have been addressed by various starting aids, most of which use a primer fluid injection system. The white smoke problem is a relatively recent concern relating particularly, but not exclusively, to turbocharged engines. The white smoke problem has not been addressed by previous devices.